1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic circuits, and more specifically, the invention relates to electronic circuits that regulate a voltage in a closed loop feedback system.
2. Background Information
The principle of a closed loop feedback system is to reduce the difference between a measured value and a desired value of an output by controlling a source of energy that produces the output. The output is sensed to obtain a measurement. The measurement is usually proportional to the value of the sensed output. The measurement is compared to a reference. The reference is usually considered the input to the system. The difference between the measurement and the reference produces a feedback signal that reduces the difference between the measured value and the desired value of the output.
In electronic systems, the output, measurement, reference, and feedback signal may be voltage or current. Operations associated with voltage in an electronic system are sometimes associated equivalently with current instead of voltage. Practical considerations may influence whether voltage or current is preferable for a given operation. The intrinsic parameters of electronic components are those that define the fundamental properties and behavior of a component. Examples of intrinsic parameters are the resistance of a resistor, the Zener voltage of a Zener diode, and the forward voltage of a rectifier at a given forward current. Extrinsic parameters typically influence the intrinsic parameters of electronic components. Extrinsic parameters are generally environmental conditions such as for example temperature that are not intended as inputs to the system.